30+ players

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about what to do with ageing players. Ideally I would have thought you want to sell them on when they're likely to sell for a good profit, but as with many teams, I am suffering from having an ageing team, and have had limited success in the transfer market to rectify it.

I now have about 7-8 players at about 30-31 years old with CSR of 150K+. Is it worth selling these players now and risk losing them for a drop down price because of their age and be unable to replace with someone with decent skills, or just keep them for a couple more seasons until their stats start dropping?

I'd keep them until they were no longer worthy of sitting on my bench.

Once they hit 29 it's too late to sell in my mind, you'll get very little for them, even if they aren't degrading, they're better off in your squad I believe.

Yep. I'd agree though I sold my 119kg 170cm 51ker 31 year old for 70k.

At the moment I can't see much use for them because they're still fairly rare on the TM (good 30 year olds), but when more and more top teams start running into this problem I think you'll see a step change in how teams rate them, and they'll start selling better. Give it 3 or 4 seasons I think.

In other news, here's how my fogeys sold:

Owen Waterer $83,232 - 80,429 CSR - 34 y/o (Openside, declining)

Jimbo Buell $265,302 - 125,927 CSR - 29 y/o (Prop, increasing)

Dwight Brimble $509,796 - 135,079 CSR - 29 y/o (Prop, increasing)

Elton Mitchell $261,153 - 92,219 CSR - 29 y/o (hooker, increasing)

Mick Camp $382,500 - 122564 CSR - 29 y/o (Backrow, increasing)

Kim Blight $375,000 - 114,512 CSR - 29 y/o (backrow, increasing)

Solomon Forshaw $345,753 - 81,414 CSR - 28 y/o (centre, increasing)

Augustin Masana $259,018 - 81,996 CSR - 29 y/o (centre, increasing)

Jorge Crawcour $672,935 - 107,729 CSR - 28 y/o (scrumhalf, increasing)

Perry Pullin $900,000 - 86,093 CSR - 28 y/o (flyhalf, increasing)

Oswald Robbins $371,634 - 63,554 CSR - 28 y/o (winger, increasing)

Oliver Gwynne $635,563 - 133,153 CSR - 29 y/o (lock, increasing)

Last one's an interesting one, he's a lock, but only 198cm so very short for his generation, he's since sold again for $788,450.

Anyway, make of that what you will, but hopefully it sheds some light on the possibilities.

I think it depends on how much you need the cash, how good they are, and what you have to replace them. Personally I plan on keeping most of my ageing players as they're still the better players in the squad and all have high stamina. Your league position will impact on decisions too. If you're a poor D3 or a D4 team then get rid of all of them and bring up a young generation as they'll have no real value.

How good is your team and what are your objectives?

You won't get a fortune for those unless they have some specific talent. I would trim whatever I don't need (remember you're paying salaries and it adds really quick over a 30-man squad...). Keeping experienced players in your starting squad while integrating the younger players you're training hard is a good mix imo.